Fallen
by madisonfairie
Summary: In the summerbefore 7th year, Hermione accidently gets sent back in time. To protect the future, Dumbledore takes her in. She meets Sirius and the other Mauraders. This isn't a new story, it is simply being re-written.
1. Fallen

For the third summer in a row, Hermione was stuck at 12 Grimmauld Place. The Death Eaters had been very active this summer. Her parents had to go into hiding when the attacks started. They had even made Dumbledore her guardian, in case anything happened to them. The Order had decided that everyone must stay at headquarters, or at Hogwarts. So Hermione was stuck inside at Grimmauld Place for her third summer.  
  
Dumbledore had allowed Harry to come to Grimmauld Place, after his birthday last week. Harry thought it was only because he had turned seventeen, and the blood protection had worn out. Ron and Hermione were glad to see him, but he was pretty poor company right now. He resented still being ordered around, and having to come back to Sirius' house. It held so many bad memories for him. Harry had even threatened to run away and get his own flat, like Sirius had done at seventeen.  
  
This morning after breakfast, Harry and Ron had barricaded themselves in the bedroom, moaning about being allowed to live their own lives. They had firmly pushed Hermione out when she pointed out Mrs. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore had their best interests at heart. Obviously, they didn't want to hear that. She had been pushed out the door, and they locked it behind her.  
  
After finding out Ginny had been allowed the rare treat of working at the twins joke shop, Hermione decided to work in the library. It was the only room left in Grimmauld Place, except the attics, which hadn't been completely cleaned. She was itching to look over the books in the large library. Dumbledore had insisted he needed to inspect the books before she could read them. Smiling, he then told her, that first the room needed to be cleaned up, and no one else had the time to do it. So here she was, stuck doing the dirty work.  
  
Hermione had decided to get rid of all the bric-a-brac first. She started with a curio cabinet wedged into the far back corner of the library. Most of the items from the curio cabinet, she immediately put into the garbage; however one item caught her eye. It was a small silver box. The sides were covered with ancient runes, and the lid was incrusted with small amethysts, set into a circular pattern. Curious, she lifted the lid, and found a black grainy powder inside. Knowing she shouldn't, but still feeling compelled to, she stuck her finger into the powder, and prodded it. Realizing that it probably was not a smart idea to stick her finger into something that she didn't know what it was, especially not at Grimmauld place. Deciding to show Professor Lupin, she headed towards the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen, she found it deserted. Not knowing where else to look for him, she wondered if the Headmaster or Professor McGonagall were at Hogwarts. Impulsively, she decided to show them the box. Reaching above the fireplace, she grabbed a small handful of floo powder to throw into the fire. As she threw it into the fireplace, someone came into the kitchen. Turning, she looked to see who it was. Watching Professor Lupin enter the kitchen, she didn't notice the lid of the silver box falling open and the black powder spilling into the fire.

The fire turned a strange purple and shot out of the fireplace, engulfing Hermione.  
She felt the pull in her stomach, and then she felt a sudden jerk. Losing her balance, she could feel the floor rising up to meet her.  
  
Coming to her senses, Hermione could feel the cold stones under her hands and knees. She opened her eyes, seeing the stones under her. Knowing the floors in the kitchen were wooden, she raised her head to look around. This was not Grimmauld Place, this looked like Hogwarts! Wondering how she had gotten here, she questioned what the powder might have been. Could it have been some kind of strange floo type powder? It wouldn't have been the strangest thing they had found at Grimmauld Place. Looking around at the empty hall, she decided to find Professor Dumbledore, and tell him what had happened.  
  
As Hermione climbed the staircases towards Professor Dumbledores' office, she noticed that the pictures were all in different places. Some pictures she didn't recognize at all. Wondering why they decided to move all the pictures, she shook her head. Who knew what reason Dumbledore had for the things he did.  
  
Climbing the last staircase, she could see the gargoyles guarding the door to Dumbledore's office. Moving in front of the doors, she wondered if she yelled he could hear her. Deciding that he probably wouldn't, she decided to try and guess the password. Knowing he used sweets, Hermione started to call out names. "Umm... Chocolate frogs? Too easy. Acid pops? Ice mice? Bernie Botts every flavor bean? Could he be using muggle sweets? Humbugs? Lemon drops? No, keep with the wizarding sweets. Coachroach clusters?" With that the door to his office slid open. Startled, she jumped. It had worked. Climbing the stairs, Hermione entered his office.

The Headmaster sat behind his desk, studying some papers. Moving towards the desk, Hermione noticed he looked different. Younger, as if the stress of the past few years had been lifted from his face. Clearing her throat, she tried to get his attention. Professor Dumbledore looked up to see her standing at the edge of his desk. He seemed confused by her presence. "Can I help you miss? School doesn't start open until September 1."  
  
Meeting his gaze, Hermione realized he didn't seem to recognize her. This frightened her. Timidly, she asked." Don't you remember me? I'm Hermione Granger." Upon seeing his blank stare, she continued "You are my guardian, while my parents are hiding from the death eaters."  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss...Granger, was it? You must be confused. I'm sure I have never met you before. As for being your guardian, why would your parents choose me?" He wore an impassive face while delivering his speech.  
  
Hermione looked at him with growing horror. This could not be happening to her. Exactly what had that powder done to her? Fearfully, she answered him. "My parents decided to make you my guardian, because they are muggles and are hiding from the death eaters. The three of you decided that I should stay at the Order headquarters this summer."  
  
Dumbledore's head jerked up. "The Order?" He asked.  
  
"The Order of the Phoenix." She replied.  
  
He motioned for Hermione to sit. "How do you know about The Order of the Phoenix, miss?"  
  
Knowing something was very wrong; Hermione took a breath, and plunged forward. "I've spent the past three summers at headquarters, along with my friends Harry and Ron. Professor, you really don't recognize me, do you?"  
  
Shaking his head, Dumbledore sighed. "No, child, I really don't know you. We don't really have a headquarters for the Order. Very few people even know about it. How did you get here from headquarters?"  
  
Hermione proceeded to tell Dumbledore about the little silver box, and the black powder it contained. Finishing her story, she told him that it felt like a portkey.  
  
"You've traveled by portkey, before?" Hermione nodded. "What year was it when you left?"  
  
Shocked, Hermione whispered "1997"  
  
Resigned, Dumbledore lowered his head. "I was afraid of that. It is 1976; now. It would appear that you have traveled back in time."  
  
"Can you send me back?" asked Hermione, close to tears.  
  
"Today, no, I can't. I have never heard of using a black powder to do time-travel. I can research it, but it may take awhile. In the meantime, since I am apparently your guardian, you will stay here with me, and attend school until we find a way to send you back. What year will you be?"  
  
"I was entering my seventh year. I am Head Girl this year."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid, that won't be possible here. We have already selected our Head Boy and Girl for this year, James Potter and Lily Evans. Putting you in seventh year won't be a problem, though. I'm sure the classes will be much the same. We will make you up a schedule later."  
  
"I don't know if that will work. I know a great many people from this time. I'm afraid I'll let something slip. I could hurt innocent people."  
  
Dumbledore smiled weakly at Hermione. "The only solution I know of is to use a modified memory charm on you. It will erase your personal memories of your life and family. Then we will replace them with new memories that we make up to fit these circumstances."  
  
"Can you replace my memories when you send me back to my time?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes, that is not a problem. Shall we, Miss Granger?" She nodded. Professor Dumbledore pointed his wand at Hermione. "Recordatio" He said. Hermione looked at him blankly. "What is your name, dear?"  
  
"I have no idea. Who are you?"  
  
"Good. Now you're Jane Dumbledore. You are the granddaughter of my youngest brother, Ambrosious. Your family was killed this summer by Death Eaters. Being my great-niece, I was made your guardian. You are going to live with me here at Hogwarts......."

Dumbledore arranged a room for Jane in his suite. That evening they had dinner in his sitting room, just the two of them. He explained that during the school term, he was required to dine at the head table, in the great hall. However, during the summer, not many teachers were in residence. Often, he dined alone in his rooms, or in his office. Tonight, they would eat here alone in order to get to know each other better. Over dinner they chatted about many things. Jane asked about their family, since she couldn't remember anyone. Dumbledore asked about her interests, her subjects, and possible career plans. Then the subject to more general matters, and he regaled her with stories of his youth.  
  
After they finished dinner, Dumbledore pulled out a chess set. They played a match, and then he began to show Jane different strategies. He was pleased at how quickly she picked up the different moves. Putting away the chess set, he announced "It is time for bed. There are several books in your room, to read before you go to sleep. Tomorrow, we will go into Hogsmeade for some clothes, and other necessities for you. Good-night." Jane smiling her approval, shyly approached Dumbledore. Standing on her tip-toes, kissed his cheek. Quickly, she ran to her room. He looked after her, putting his hand to his cheek.  
  
Bright and early the next morning, Jane bounced into the sitting room. Watching her, Dumbledore laughed out loud. It was nice to see her adjusting so well. He had been afraid she would be reluctant to trust him, and seeing her excitement, reassured him. "Glad to see you up so early. You seem to be all ready to go. I had forgotten that all it takes to put such a pretty blush on a young lady's face was to promise a shopping trip. First, we will have breakfast." Laughing with her uncle, Jane agreed.  
  
After breakfast was finished, they walked from the castle, through the grounds to Hogsmeade. The first stop was Gladrags for some clothing. The next hour was exceeding long for Dumbledore. After leaving the clothier, they made their way through several shops, mostly browsing. The last stop they made was Honeydukes. Jane was surprised to find Dumbledore had quite a sweet tooth. After making their selections, they were invited into the backroom. There, they kept an amazing collection of muggle sweets. Apparently, these were stocked for Dumbledore, who had a rare fondness for such items.  
  
They decided their last stop would be The Three Broomsticks, for something to drink. Coming into the pub, they headed for the bar. Dumbledore was shocked to find one of his students manning the bar. "Mr. Black, I'm surprised to see you here. I had thought you would be spending the summer with Mr. Potter, again. "  
  
"No, I decided to take a room upstairs for the summer. I didn't want to wear out my welcome by freeloading off the Potters. I usually go over there on Sundays, if I'm not working. Besides, they had plans to take a vacation this summer. They invited me to join them, but I didn't want to intrude." Sirius replied grimly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded his understanding. "Yes, I quite understand." He noticed Sirius looking at his companion. "May I introduce my great-niece, Jane? Jane, this is Sirius Black. He is also in his seventh year."  
  
"I'm pleased to meet you, Sirius. You are the first student I've met. Now when school starts, I'll know someone." Jane smiled at him, shyly.  
  
"It's always a pleasure to meet such a pretty girl. You'll be going to Hogwarts this year?" Jane nodded. "Where did you go to school before?" Sirius queried her.  
  
At this question, Dumbledore stiffened. He had expected such questions, but not so soon. He turned to Jane, and instructed her. "Would you please get us a booth, child? I'll bring the drinks in a moment." Jane smiled at her uncle, and turned towards the tables. He turned back to Sirius. "She was privately educated by a governess, until recently. Her parents were killed in a Death Eater attack a few days ago. Her grandfather, my youngest brother, felt it best to send her here. Please don't question her about it; this has been very traumatic for her. She doesn't seem to remember anything about the attack, and very little of her past."  
  
Stricken, Sirius quickly answered. "I'm very sorry, sir. I hope I didn't upset her. Will she get her memory back?"  
  
His face gentling slightly, Dumbledore replied. "We believe she will eventually regain her memories, but nothing is certain. Please, just don't bring it up. Would you please give me some tea and a butterbeer for my niece?" Dumbledore asked, dismissing Sirius.  
  
Slipping back into his easy demeanor, he replied. "Sure, I'll get right on it. I'll bring it to the table, in a few minutes."  
  
Dumbledore turned towards the table Jane had chosen. Joining her, he checked to make sure Sirius' comments hadn't upset her. Seeing her smiling face, he was reassured. When Sirius brought over the drinks, they were chatting comfortably. Serving them their drinks, he queried of Dumbledore "Mind if I join you? I have a few free minutes before I have to start setting up for lunch."  
  
Giving Sirius a questioning look, Dumbledore agreed. "By all means, join us. Jane probably would enjoy the company. All of her time has been spent with this old man."  
  
"Uncle Albus, I have enjoyed our time together." Jane looked from her uncle to Sirius. "You are welcome to join us." She looked down at the table, blushing.  
  
Giving Jane a good look, Sirius decided she wasn't bad looking. The hair was a little too bushy, but she had a figure that even robes couldn't hide. "Actually, it is nice to see someone my own age. There aren't that many young people living here in Hogsmeade. Rosmerta, the owner's daughter, is the closest to our age, and she's in her twenties. It can be a little lonely at times. Feel free to drop in any time; I'm usually around. If I'm not here in the bar, I'm just upstairs. Rosmerta usually knows where to find me." Sirius told her earnestly.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." Jane replied, still looking down at the table.  
  
Turing towards Dumbledore, he asked a question. "Sir, would it be alright to use the Quidditch pitch for practice? School will be starting up again soon. I'd like to get back into shape before it starts up.  
  
Smiling indulgently, Dumbledore answered." Yes, that would be fine. We can't have Gryffindor losing any games, because their star beater is out of shape. Be careful, Madame Pomfrey is still technically on vacation. She wouldn't look kindly on having to fix your injuries already."  
  
Breaking into a big grin, Sirius was exuberant. "Thanks, Professor. I should go back to work now." Turning towards Jane, he addressed her. "It's been nice to meet you. Hopefully, I'll be seeing you again quite soon." With that, Sirius bounded back to the bar.  
  
Her eyes following him, Jane spoke to her uncle. "He seems very nice. Now when school starts, I'll know someone."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Jane. She was watching Sirius working behind the bar. "Well, he certainly wouldn't have been my first choice. Don't get me wrong, he can be a nice boy. He's just not whom I would have chosen for you to hang around. He and his friends can be quite the troublemakers." Dumbledore cautioned her.  
  
"Are you warning me to stay away, Uncle Albus?" Jane chuckled.  
  
"No, just cautioning you. In my day, we would have called Sirius a bounder. He fancies himself quite the ladies man. Apparently, so do the girls. There is always at least one hanging around, trying to get his attention. Even his friends, James and Remus, seem to collect girls. They are not exactly the type I would pick for you to hang around with." Dumbledore looked at her with concern.  
  
Turning to look at her uncle, Jane saw the worry in his face. "I understand. You think it might be wise to keep my distance." Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Yes, I do. I see you have almost finished your drink. Bottoms up, we should be heading back to the castle. I have a lot of work to accomplish this afternoon, if we are to continue our chess lesson tonight." Jane finished the last swallow of her drink, and rose from her chair. Dumbledore left the table, and motioned for her to follow. They headed for the door, passing by Sirius. He gave them a cheeky grin. Dumbledore nodded to him, but Jane seemed to be avoiding looking at him. He frowned, wondering if he had somehow upset her.


	2. chapter 2

It was a bright clear day, perfect for flying, Sirius thought to himself. He was strolling through the Hogwarts grounds, making his way to the Quidditch pitch. While passing near the lake, he noticed that someone else was enjoying the day. Under a tree near the edge of the lake, Jane was spread out on a blanket. Silently, he moved closer. She was reading a rather thick, old tome. He could smell the musty air rising, as she turned each page. Silently, he reached the edge of her blanket. "Jane," he quietly spoke her name.

The sudden intrusion startled her. She looked up, shading her eyes from the glare of the afternoon sun. Seeing Sirius staring down at her, she was shocked. She hadn't expected to see him again, before school. Then she spotted the broom slung over his shoulder. That explained it, she thought, he's going to practice. It wasn't as if he had come looking to find her. She was disappointed, yet relieved. Uncle Albus had warned her to stay away. Yet, she craved company, and he was always so busy. Craning her neck, she looked into his eyes. Maybe, he was lonely, as well. She spoke to him. "Hello Sirius. Are you heading to the pitch?"

Without waiting for an invitation, Sirius settled himself down on the edge of her blanket. He had seen the disappointment on her face. He wondered if she was upset to see him here. He had expected to see her strolling into the pub, but it had been over a week. Not once had she stopped by the pub. He had asked Rosmerta if she had been around while he was gone. She hadn't, and he was curious as to why she hadn't. It wasn't as if all the girls fell at his feet, but it was an uncommon occurrence for Sirius, that one would ignore him completely. This girl was a puzzle to him. He enjoyed puzzles, but was a little afraid he wouldn't be able to put pieces together. The whole picture was something he wasn't sure he would ever see. Deciding to be cautious, he answered. "Yea, I was going to get in some flying maneuvers." She trembled slightly at his answer. "Don't like flying much?"

Jane rolled her eyes, "No, I don't like the lack of control. Besides, I'm not very good at it."

He spotted her lack of interest and turned the subject to his question. "Been sticking pretty close to the castle, haven't you? I thought you might drop by the pub."

Dropping her eyes to her book, Jane had the grace to look ashamed. Her voice wavered as she replied. "No, I was down at Hogsmeade, yesterday. I went to Honeydukes for Uncle Albus." Not sure what Sirius reaction would be, she shot a sideways glance at his face.

Keeping his face down, Sirius played with the fringe of her blanket. He was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know her reasons. Looking at her with sad eyes, he pushed forward. "Why didn't you stop by?"

She turned toward Sirius, shocked by his question. He seemed hurt that she hadn't stopped by. Looking at him, through new eyes, she wondered again if he could be as lonely as she was. Uncle Albus was wonderful, but as the autumn term grew closer, he grew busier each day. This left less time for Jane. She was at her own devices, more and more each day. Staring Sirius directly in the eyes, she told him the truth. "Honestly, I didn't think you would expect me to stop by. I only met you the one time. I assumed you were only being polite."

"Yes, I expected you to stop by. If I didn't want to see you, I would have kept my gob shut. What did you think; I was trying to impress the Headmaster?" Sirius glared at Jane. Shaking his head vigorously, he fired a retort. "Since you don't want my company, I'll leave you alone."

Following his scathing remarks, he started to stand. Jane rushed to defend herself. "It isn't that I don't want your company. I'm just not sure that you really want mine. Besides, how would I know if you were only being polite?" In a low voice, she added a final dig. "Uncle Albus warned me about you."

At her last remark, Sirius' temper shot off, like a rocket. "It's because I'm a Black, isn't it?" Without waiting for a reply, he continued to rant. "I hate them; the lost of them are just a bunch of slimy Slytherins. I ran away from them. Yet, they are still biting me in the arse." Sirius ranted.

Chuckling at the display, Jane tried to explain. "I don't know who the Blacks are, and Uncle Albus never mentioned your family." She told him quite firmly. "The reason he told me to stay away from you was quite different. He told me you are a bounder."

Gaping at her, Sirius managed to choke out his question, "What the bloody hell is a bounder?"

Now in a full blown laughter Jane tried to answer, "Apparently, a bounder is a cad, who breaks young girls' hearts. He also feels you and your friends would be a bad influence on me. Something was mentioned about breaking the record for the most detentions over your school years." Watching Sirius' face carefully, she waited for his reaction.

"So Professor Dumbledore thinks I'm going to molest you, then break your heart. Then James, Remus, and Peter are going to corrupt your morals. Merlin, he made James the Head boy, and Remus a prefect. Blimey, Peter isn't going to lead anyone anywhere. He can't even find his own arse, half the time." Sirius stared at Jane, absolutely flabbergasted. "I just can't believe the Headmaster thinks that of us."

By the time he had finished his rant, Jane was rolling around with laughter. Calming her self some, she leaned on her elbows, to pose a question. "Does this mean you aren't here to molest me?" Laughter was still dancing in her eyes.

"Sweet Merlin, like I'm going to try to molest you right under his nose. Not bloody likely, without something to distract him. Does he think I'm stupid?" Sirius was in a full rant. He looked over at Jane, and saw her cheeky grin. "Don't answer that. I'm sure you don't know me well enough to answer that."

Jane turned her body towards him. The expression on her face was suddenly solemn. "Your right, I don't know you at all. You know even less about me. Unfortunately, I don't know much more about myself than you do." She avoided Sirius' eyes, by turning on to her back. She stared up at the leaves of the tree.

Noticing her suddenly sober tone, Sirius laid back onto the blanket. He turned his face towards her. "You still don't remember?" Jane jerked her head towards him, questioning him with a look. "Professor Dumbledore told me you didn't remember your past. He was firm about my not asking about it. If you ever need to talk about it, I'd be willing to listen." He noticed her distressed eyes; he decided it was time to leave. "I'm going to go practice now. If you need to talk find me. I'm not just being polite. I know about needing to talk. Your Uncle may not be the most comfortable person to blow off steam at. Either way; you know where to find me."

Jane nodded that she did know where to find him. At her nod, Sirius leaned closer. She could feel his breath ghosting across her cheek. Whispering into her ear, he said his parting words, "I'll just have to molest you later."

Sirius got up off the blanket and picked up his broom. He set off for the pitch, never looking back. Jane watched him with wary eyes, until she couldn't see him anymore.

A few days after talking with Sirius at Hogwarts, Jane visited the pub. Her eyes were drawn to the massive walnut bar. Just over the top of the bar, she could see the top of someone's head. The hair shone as darkly as the aged bar wood. As she watched, the person raised their head up from behind the bars imposing structure and Sirius' face came into view. His ivory skin stood out in stark contrast to his ebony hair and eyes. His eyes seemed to sparkle when he spotted her. Grinning, he called out to her. "I see you decided that I wasn't just being polite. Sit up here at the bar, so I can talk with you." He gestured to a stool, in front of where he was at the bar.

Jane decided to oblige him and she slipped onto the stool he had indicated. As Sirius bent his head to finish washing the last few glasses, she watched him. He presented quite an inviting picture. Under his tight t-shirt, she could see his well-toned muscles. Raising his head, he caught her intense scrutiny, as his jet-black eyes met her chocolate brown ones, and it startled her. She was slightly embarrassed that she had been unknowingly staring and wondered what he was thinking after catching her. He turned towards the back of the bar and replaced the cleaned glasses on a shelf. Calling back over his shoulder, he told her, "It's nice to see you again. Is it lonely sitting up there in your ivory tower?"

No answer was forthcoming, however. Wondering if she had snuck out while he wasn't watching, Sirius turned around. She was still there, her head down and resting on her folded arms. Misery seemed to seep out of her pores. He leaned on the bar, propping his head up on one of his hands. Raising one eyebrow, he questioned her, "What happened?"

With her head still cradled in her arms, she turned towards him. Her hair partially obscured her face, as if to help her hide. "Uncle Albus was supposed to take me to Diagon Alley tomorrow but today he told me that he has meetings all day tomorrow so he can't take me to get my school supplies." She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "Then he told me the best part. He arranged for the Head Girl to meet me at Leaky Cauldron in the morning. Someone I have never met is supposed to take me shopping." She sighed.

Sirius was surprised at this news. He had assumed Dumbledore would keep Jane close at hand, at least until school started. Diagon Alley was still fairly safe, but surely she would be a target for the Death Eaters as her parents had just been killed earlier this summer by You-Know- Who's followers. Wouldn't they want to finish the job by killing Jane? To send her to Diagon Alley with Lily Evans might be too much of a temptation for unexpected attack. Since Lily was muggle-born, she was a target herself. Didn't Dumbledore realize this? Even if the Headmaster thought Jane and Lily would be safe, Sirius didn't feel comfortable with it. He knew that, for his piece of mind, he would go tomorrow as well. To make it even safer, he would owl James, Remus, and Peter. He figured the four of them could protect the two girls.

He kept his face neutral to hide his fears. "That's a tough break. I'm sure you will get along with Lily, though. It is Lily you're supposed to meet, right?" Sirius prodded her.

Jane sighed in response to his question. "Yes, it's Lily Evans who I'm supposed to meet. Another Gryffindor. All I will know is Gryffindors."

He was vaguely surprised that she was being so melodramatic. Girls could be he knew, but somehow she hadn't seemed the type. Reaching down behind the bar, he drew two pints of butterbeer. Pushing one towards Jane, he took a long pull of the other. "Is that so bad?" Sirius teased her. She simply shrugged her shoulders. "Would it make it easier for you if I was there tomorrow? Not shopping with you, just at Diagon Alley."

She looked at his face to see if he was sincere. The idea appealed to Jane. It would give her an easy way out, if Lily resented being stuck with her. Sirius could tell her where to get her supplies. Eagerly, she smiled and nodded. "Yes, that would be a big help."

He took a drink, to hide his satisfaction and amusement. Despite Dumbledore's warnings, Jane was starting to turn to him. Maybe soon she would trust him. Let him be a friend. She seemed to need a friend.

"I need to go in the back and check with Rosmerta. Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes," Sirius told her. He sauntered to the back of the bar, and slipped through the door.

He casually strolled into the back room and, looking around, he found Rosmerta taking inventory. Going to her side, he drew a breath and asked, "Could you change shifts with me tomorrow?"

Rosmerta turned to look at Sirius. He was trying to act calm, but she could see how nervous he really was and she wondered how much he really wanted this. The only way to find out, she decided, was to push his buttons. "I don't know Sirius. If I trade shifts with you, all those big tips the evening crowd gives will be yours. The day crowd doesn't tip nearly as well."

His face seemed to fall. The night crowds were much better tippers. Rosmerta made her living at this job. He was just working here for something to pass the time. If he needed money, Uncle Alphard's money was in the bank. Rosmerta didn't have someone else's gold to fall back on. Maybe he could bribe her to work the day shift. "Rosmerta," he whined, "I'll give you all the bloody tips I make. I just need the day off."

Rosmetha decided not to torture him anymore. "Yes, I'll work for you. Keep the tips; I just wanted to see how desperate you were. Have a hot date lined up?"

He had the grace to blush. Looking down to avoid her eyes, Sirius answered. "No, I just need to meet James at Diagon Alley tomorrow. Need to get supplies for school."

She observed him. He was lying to her and she could tell. It didn't matter, though, she didn't mind changing shifts. But it made her curious what he was up to. Shrugging, she spoke to him. "It's okay. You better get back out front. It will be lunch time soon. I'll be out to help later." She turned her back to Sirius, dismissing him. Not wanting her to change her mind, he rushed back out to the front.

While Sirius was in the back talking to Rosmerta, Jane was lost in thought. She wondered if Uncle Albus could be wrong about Sirius. He seemed like a regular guy to her. Not that she had much to go on. She didn't really know him. Besides, Uncle Albus might be prejudice against any boy. She had noticed that he hadn't asked the Head Boy to take her to Diagon Alley. I'm not stupid, she thought. "He just doesn't want me around any boys. A sudden movement caught her eye and, turning towards it, she saw Sirius coming from the back room with a smile on his handsome face.


End file.
